JAPAN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2136, 16 May 1889, Page 3

JAPAN.

In the course of a lecture on this Interesting oountry the Rev Mr Porter says I that Japan (« The Land of the Rising Sun") Is very muoh like New Zaaland, ioaamuah as eaoh oountry poetesses most picturesque eoenery. The Empire of Japan Is composed of about 3000 islands, and a trip amoDg them ia most delighiful. Lighthouses and break. waters are very numerous, and the postal and telegraph fao.litlea excellent. Every town and village possesses a sohoolhonse, whlob Is generally the finest building In tbe plaoe. Kindergarten, primary and grammar schools and colleges abound, and 1 many of the teaohers are tbe best tbat could be sent from Europe aod Amerloa. The chief vehicle In Japan Is a little two-wheehd cart, drawn by a man and was Invented by an American missionary. Travelling by these conveyances Is exceedingly obeap, being abont a penny a mile. Tbe highest moutaln Is 12,000 f t high and on a dear day lt oan be seen by sailors when 100 miles at sea. Rloe is the great orcp, and forms the principal artiole of food. None of the rlvera are longer than 170 miles, and none are navigable for deep draught steamers. Tbe people are very industrious, working from sunrise to sonset, Their pipes are the smallest m the world, only oontalnlng uuffiotent tobacoo to last for two or three whlftV. They do n»* use tables, chairs, or knives and forks, the food being eaten with the aid of chop sticks, and it Is a mark of dlsreapeot to enter a house with boots or shoes on. The native homes are one storey high, with paper windows, and although as a rule they aro uuattraotive looking from the street, eaoh possesses a beantlful little garden at the baok The Japanese grow ohrysanthemums to perfeotlon. and a representation of one of these fl iwers containing 16 petals forms the national arms. Tbe ohlef fruit Is the kakl. Newspapers printed In tbe Japanese language are numerouc, and some are sold for a farthing. The poople are also fond of books and maps Tbe Mikado, laying down his autooratlo power, has a lop ted a constitution drawn np by Count Ito, assisted by European j arista, giving b> the people the right of suffrage, free speech, and religion. The telegraph service of the oountry Is excellent, and brlnga m a revenue of abont £10,000 a day. Tokyo, tbe oapltal, Is a town of 1,000.000 people, possessing numerous fine buildings, many after tbe European style. Japan possesses 66 ports, but only five are open to the Western nations, and she has treaties with 18 foreign countries. The people are most anxious to adopt European outtoms, and Christianity is spreading fait, the present number of oommonioants being 30,000.